The model of Bohart and Adams was applied to the process of removal of mercury from mine drainage by adsorption with activated carbon in fixed bed columns. For this several drains from coal mines of Guachetá in Colombia, were studied. Once the optimum operating conditions of the column are established, a detailed study of breakthrough curves using the Bohart and Adams model was done, to determine the lifetime of the adsorbent material and the effectiveness of the method for removal the metal ions. It was established that the breakthrough time was 20 min. and the column with the best performance was 1.7 cm in diameter and 2 cm bed length, under the study conditions. The model described the initial part of the breakthrough curve and the parameters of the model allow designing and optimizing the performance of fixed bed adsorption systems for the removal of Hg2+ ions fro aqueous mine wastes.